This invention relates generally to a guide device of the type used with a capstan to assure that rope or cable is properly wound on the capstan for pulling a load. By winding several turns of the rope or cable around a rotating capstan and pulling on the rope as it leaves the capstan, a tremendous mechanical advantage is achieved in proportion to the number of turns of the rope on the rotating capstan body. For effective operation, it is necessary that the turns of rope or cable lay down one next to the other without criss-crossing and overlapping on the capstan. An out-of-control hazardous condition can be created if such fouling of the line occurs and the power is not promptly removed from the capstan.
However, the greatest difficulty in using the capstan is getting the rope to lay down on the capstan surface in an orderly manner as it approaches the capstan.
What is needed is a guide for a capstan which urges the oncoming rope or cable onto the surface of the capstan body in an orderly manner without fouling or overlapping of the turns.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Generally speaking, in accordance with the invention, a guide for a capstan especially suitable for prevention of fouling of rope or cable wound on the capstan is provided. The guide is a short helical ramp located near the driven end of the capstan body, which ramp guides the rope before it lays onto and then circles around the cylindrical capstan body. The capstan rotates conventionally about its longitudinal axis; the ramp is concentric thereto but fixed in place. As the rope feeds onto the capstan surface adjacent to the ramp surface at the lowest level of the ramp, the ramp progressively urges the rope axially outward on the capstan body until termination of the ramp. There is sufficient axial space made available so that the incoming rope feeds along the capstan without interference from any subsequent wraps of rope or cable. The ramp is helical and winds through an arc which is less than 360.degree..
In another embodiment, an arm connects to the ramp. The ramp with connected arm, is free to rotate near the driven base of the capstan. The arm includes a pair of constraining means or pegs which guide the rope into the ramp. The ramp/arm assembly, rotatable around the capstan axis, allows the rope to approach the capstan from any radial angle and be properly wound onto the capstan.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved ramped guide for a capstan which ramp guides rope onto the rotating capstan without fouling or overlapping of the rope loops.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved ramped guide for a capstan which is adaptable for use with preexisting conventional capstans.
A further object of this invention is to provide an improved ramped guide for a capstan which accepts rope- feeding from any direction without fouling or overlapping of rope on the capstan.
Still other objects and advantages of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part be apparent from the specification.
The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction, combination of elements, an arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the constructions hereinafter set forth, and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims.